Katherine K.M. Stavropoulos Ph.D.

Research explores whether intervention can change the brain in autism.

I want to start with blog entry by saying Happy National Autism Awareness Month!

Natalie Jones, speech pathologist/senior clinician at Autism Australia

I’m very proud to be commencing two new education and healthcare services here in the Inverell area – the first helping individuals with autism under the name Autism Australia, and the other a general speech pathology service – about which I’ll explain further down.

France's autism problem – and its roots in psychoanalysis

Richard Bates, University of Nottingham

A group of graduates from a specialised autism training program have left the dole queue and secured their first jobs inside the department responsible for handing out their disability benefits.

Hans Asperger's name may become "mud" and be scrapped from the medical lexicon following new evidence he was an active Nazi collaborator, an autism history expert says.

Key points:

• New study finds clinician cooperated with child euthanasia program
• Finds Asperger benefited from relationship with Nazis
• Challenges long-running narrative about Asperger

A new study, published in the journal of Molecular Autism this week by medical historian Herwig Czech, was the result of eight years of research and drew on previously unseen documents, including Asperger's personnel files and the clinical assessments he wrote on his patients.

Michael Bernick

"The Seasons or Orchard" tapestry by Morris & Co. 1890. William Morris in the Victorian period sought to create new forms of craft and workplace culture. William Morris Society.

Last week, I was in New York and had the opportunity morning to tour a true “autism-friendly workplace”—one that differs not only from most workplaces today but also from most workplaces that describe themselves as autism-friendly. I think you’ll be interested, whether you have a connection to autism or not.

JOSH PRESTON

GYMPIE local Nelle Frances did not know where to find support when her son Sam was diagnosed with Autism, but she is hoping to show Gympie community members in similar situations they are not alone.

Ms Frances, a long time disability support worker who travels all over the country as an Autism Education Consultant under the banner of her Asperger Child organisation, is set to host an Autism Awareness High Tea at the Gympie RSL on May 1.

A school purpose-built for children with autism will open on the Gold Coast next week.

Josiah College has been custom-designed to suit the needs of autistic students who may struggle in a mainstream school environment.

Working closely with specialists in autism from the Bond University Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorder, the school's design takes into account everything from the positioning of land to the use of colours and even the movement of the school's fans.

A4 and SOfASD made a joint submission to the ACT Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Social Services about the NDIS. It concludes with the following section:

Conclusions and suggestions

The NDIS has enormous potential to improve the lives of Australians with disability and the whole community. But to achieve its goals, the NDIS needs to be so much better than it is now.

The NDIA seems to have issues particularly with autistic participants.

Dear Ms Walker

Thank you for the link to the pathway review web-page.